Do I have to increase the price of cigarettes

whether or not to raise the price of cigarettes - a rhetorical question.Worldwide, tobacco prices rose, growing and will grow as long as there is a demand for them.Another question is how to raise them properly?

Supporters of radical methods to combat smoking insist on a significant (several times) higher prices for tobacco products.They say that high prices will force the senses and end the addiction a lot of citizens and thus significantly extend their lives.

Opponents object to these methods, saying that such measures will lead to the emergence of the shadow of the tobacco economy and cause great dissatisfaction of many people.

smokers themselves pointedly silent, occasionally clear implication that if tobacco prices will increase significantly, they protest, start smoking more, and the high price of tobacco would suffer their non-smoking friends.

And all of them, each in his own way, in something right.

Bleak statistics

Statistics indicate that in Russia tobacco products are among the cheap

est in the world, and in the number of people smoking in the percentage of non-smokers, the Russian Federation firmly holds one of the first places. For comparison: in the EU pack of cigarettes costs about 5 euros, while in Russia - 80-90 cents.The number of smokers in the European countries, almost 10% lower than in Russia.

It is also necessary to take into account the fact that tobacco products worldwide are excisable goods, and thus serve as a source of replenishment of national budgets.There are also statistics is not in favor of Russia.In Russia, this item of income in 2013 amounted to only 0.5% of the state budget In monetary terms, the Russian budget in the tobacco excise last year earned a little more than US $ 5 billion., while, as for example, in very "non-smoking" in Europe Poland, this figure was almost 8 times higher.

So that the requirements of the price increase on tobacco products in Russia look quite reasonable.

submissions skeptics

skeptics, as opposed to all of these obvious benefits of increasing the price of tobacco, may submit a strong case.

smokers who in the event of a rise in price of their habit may not afford, will inevitably begin to seek a way out of this situation.

Some of them will be forced to move to cheaper and more harmful varieties of cigarettes.Another starts to look illegal, that is, the way the contraband tobacco production.There will be those who will begin to grow in their own gardens grown tobacco.

There are real fears in ruling circles.The sharp jump in prices for tobacco products can lead to a serious increase in social discontent that could have on power structures disastrous.After all, against high prices on tobacco will serve not only the smokers but also non-smoking family members.

However, out of this situation, of course.Provided that the price increases on tobacco products will be based on the experience of other countries.Firstly, we need a clear plan for a phased state, taking into account the population's real income.And secondly, competent propaganda.People need to continually articulate the price policy on tobacco.Cash received from the tobacco excise tax be directed to the development of medicine and an annual detailed report on their use.Perhaps then, even many smokers perceive raising the price of cigarettes is not very pleasant, but necessary measure.